Physical Function, Relocation, and Mortality Outcomes in Residential Care and Assisted Living Residents

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Residential care/assisted living facilities house a significant population with complex health needs.
• Predicting resident outcomes like physical function and relocation/death is crucial for care planning.
• Understanding factors influencing longevity and well-being in these communities is a public health priority.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of physical function at 6 months.
• To identify predictors of relocation or death at 12 months among residents.
• To inform interventions for improving resident outcomes in assisted living.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 272 residents across 34 residential care/assisted communities.
• Data collection included health, demographics, psychological factors, physical function, and community characteristics at baseline, 6, and 12 months.
• Statistical analysis used GLIMMIX procedures for regression with community as a random effect.

Main Results:

• Baseline physical function, grip strength, female sex, and community type predicted better 6-month physical function.
• At 12 months, 25.6% of residents had relocated or died.
• Improved physical function scores (OR=0.84) decreased the odds of relocation/death, while increased depression scores (OR=1.16) raised the odds.

Conclusions:

• Physical function and depression significantly impact resident tenure in assisted living.
• Interventions targeting functional decline and depression screening/treatment can promote longer stays.
• Community-level factors and individual characteristics play a role in resident outcomes.